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With Florida governor signaling reopening, Leon County concerned about local control

The Safer-At-Home executive order sunsets Friday and DeSantis signaled in a White House visit Tuesday that plans to reopen the Sunshine State were coming. But it is unclear yet whether another order from DeSantis that allowed local governments to tailor their own approach to the coronavirus pandemic will too.

At their Tuesday meeting, Leon County Commissioners bandied the idea of what control they could have over closures or distancing practices with the uncertainty that comes with how rapidly DeSantis plans to get Florida moving again.

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Local officials are preparing for the announcement of a phased reopening of Florida that Gov. Ron DeSantis is expected to make Wednesday with concerns about being able to control the pace in their own communities.(Photo: Karl Etters/Democrat)

“Is there anything at all that we can do to slow things down if we feel like that direction is moving too fast for what we want to do here?” Commissioner Nick Maddox asked.

DeSantis suggested he would be taking a measured pace to loosening restrictions, but Maddox expressed concern about Tallahassee’s proximity to Georgia, whose governor widely announced a reopening of businesses like tattoo parlors, nail salons and gyms.

“What if he just follows suit?” Maddox said, noting that people from Leon County could easily go to restaurants and barbers across the border then return to Florida. “That puts a lot of people in danger.”

County Attorney Chasity O’Steen said it was unclear what power localities would have in the reopening of the state.

“Until we know what that looks like, we don’t know if there is going to be a lot of delegation to places like Leon County,” she said. “We’re really going to have to wait and see. We don’t know yet.”

County Administrator Vince Long said county officials have been assessing any gaps in the federal reopening guidelines that may need attention. He said the local health department would be analyzing the phased plan for ways to lessen possible impacts in Leon County.

President Donald Trump listens as Gov. Ron DeSantis, R-Fla., talks about the coronavirus response during a meeting in the Oval Office of the White House, Tuesday, April 28, 2020 in Washington.(Photo: AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

“As we talk about reopening, we are still actively involved in the initial response, mitigating and planning of healthcare needs throughout our region. Our new cases are trending downward but as we all know that could change at any time,” Long said. “While decisions around reopening have potential to be beneficial for people and businesses, they also have the possibility of harm.”

The economic impact of the pandemic has caused the Blueprint Intergovernmental Agency tap into tax dollars to offer more than $2 million in grant funding for both businesses and nonprofits, which some members had concerns could inhibit projects down the road.

As of Tuesday, 122 nonprofits had been awarded $305,000. More than $1.10 million was given to 489 local businesses through the COVID-19 Economic Disaster Relief Program set up by Blueprint earlier this month.

The possibility of a second wave of the outbreak that could strain medical supplies and facilities comes with its own economic challenges, said County Commissioner Kristin Dozier.

The coffers for assistance are finite, she said, and the local community could benefit from more encouragement to wear masks in public and practice social distancing.

“If we had to shut down a second time or a third time, we’re not going to be able to do the same type of programs,” she said. “We need funding to do the medium-term and long-term recovery.”

County Commissioner Bill Proctor noted the largest cluster of cases in Leon County are located in the 32304 zip code. He expressed concern that the virus has hit black communities hard.

“To reopen our economy, our marketplaces too soon, the relapse and the meltdown is going to be phenomenally disproportionate and this is going to be a death call for African Americans,” he said.

Public health experts say Florida has reined in the coronavirus outbreak and is ready to start slowly reopening if certain public health measures are in place to keep the virus from spreading again. Those criteria include widespread testing and a large team of contact tracers who can track down individuals who may have been exposed.

Proctor said a cookie-cutter reopening that leaves local communities without a way to enforce what is right for them could have unforeseen consequences.

“For (DeSantis) to decide whether it’s safe for 21 million people to gather and interact and open up ... we’re responsible for the health, safety and welfare of Leon County,” he said. “If we have a higher bar, then we ought not to be subject to our bar being knocked down and lowered by either the governor or president.”

Contact Karl Etters at ketters@tallahassee.com or @KarlEtters on Twitter.